Samsung has put together a blog post extolling the virtues of the metal frame, curved corners and finish of the handset it created to go head-to-head with Apple’s iPhone, the Galaxy Alpha. It follows an earlier post on the making of the phone.

The prose is best described as stilted, but the general idea is that every element of the design has a reason behind it. Metal, we are told, offers “thinness, style and a comfortable grip.” And just in case anyone should accuse them of copying the iPhone in switching from plastic to metal, Samsung is quick to point out it started making metal phones back in 2006 – a year before the first iPhone …

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The curved shoulders at the corners were designed to offer both visual appeal and to provide impact resistance at the point most likely to hit the floor.

Finally, the matte finish is there to provide better grip – making that fall less likely – and to provide a “smoother and warmer” feel. The grip claim has been supported by an early review.

The Alpha was announced earlier this month, and is set to go on sale early next month, with some sources suggesting 12th September as the launch date. It’s been reported that Samsung plans to release more high-end models under an A-series sub-brand, with three models said to be on the way.